Everything I Do
by Lossien
Summary: Ron at the Yule Ball, reflecting on what he can never have. Hermoine suffering from nightmares, and an odd comforter. PG13 for sexual insinuations RR, Chap 10 up
1. Everything I Do

Everything I do - Bryan Adams  
  
A HP Songfic  
  
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They were dancing at the Yule Ball. Ron was wearing his old dress robes, but she was beautiful. Her hair piled atop her head, her eyes dancing in mirth, her feet barely touching the floor.  
  
For one night, she was his. And no one could take that away from him.  
  
-------  
  
Look into my eyes - you will see,  
  
What you mean to me.  
  
Search your heart - search your soul,  
  
And when you find me there, you'll search no more.  
  
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His blue eyes looked into her brown ones and she smiled, just for him.  
  
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Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for.  
  
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for.  
  
You know it's true,  
  
Everything I do - I do it for you.  
  
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He twirled her around and heard her laugh. To him, it sounded like tiny golden bells on the air. He grinned as he put his hand back onto her waist, and she put her hand on his shoulder.  
  
-------  
  
Look into my heart - you will find,  
  
There's nothin' there to hide.  
  
Take me as I am - take my life,  
  
I would give it all - I would sacrifice.  
  
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It almost hurt him, being this close to her. He knew he would never get any closer. Even as his heart raced and he yearned with his whole soul, he knew it could never work.  
  
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Don't tell me it's not worth fightin' for.  
  
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more.  
  
Ya know it's true,  
  
Everything I do - I do it for you.  
  
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She leaned into him and he breathed the sent of her hair. So fresh, it reminded him of a summer breeze. Just when you thought you would suffocate, it came along and calmed you, giving you life.  
  
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There's no love - like your love.  
  
And no other - could give more love.  
  
There's nowhere - unless you're there.  
  
All the time - all the way.  
  
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He stumbled on his own two feet and cursed under his breath. She held onto him, lest he should fall, whispering reassuring words.  
  
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Oh - you can't tell me it's not worth tryin' for.  
  
I can't help it - there's nothin' I want more,  
  
I would fight for you - I'd lie for you.  
  
Walk the wire for you - ya I'd die for you.  
  
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He loved her. In that one clear moment, he knew it was true. But she'd never be his.  
  
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Ya know it's true.  
  
Everything I do...  
  
-------  
  
She'd never be his Hermoine.  
  
-------  
  
I do it for you.  
  
------- 


	2. A Nightmareish Encounter

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of the characters. Or the settings. Only a few souls here and there.  
- - -  
It wasn't her fault! She screamed it again and again, but no one was listening. Why couldn't they hear her? What was wrong?! She opened her mouth to say something and water poured in. She couldn't breath, she was drowning! Suddenly she heard footsteps. Someone was coming. None of it made sense. Where was she? Where was the water coming from? Her brain tried to organise thoughts and think things through, but it wasn't happening. The water was over her head and the footsteps stopped. Somebody spoke.  
"Good riddance."

- - -

Hermoine woke up suddenly, her frizzy hair matted with sweat and her covers rumpled. At least this time she hadn't woken anyone up with her nightmare. She ran her fingers through her hair, giving up after a few moments. In all of her sixteen years of life, it had always been unruly. At her six years of Hogwarts, she had yet to find a spell that could and would succeed in calming the mess that was her hair. It seemed that her locks were the only unorganised things in her life.

She sighed and threw the covers off. There was no way that she would be able to sleep again. Smiling ruefully to herself, she padded down into the common room. A muggle scrunchie held her hair in a loose pony tail at the nape of her neck, most strands escaping. She fixed it and straightened her clothes, the tank top had come askew as she had slept, the pants riding up to her waist. She forced them back to her hips and looked down at her figure. She wasn't the skinniest thing. Her waist went in and she had a sizeable bum, and a little bit of fat on her stomach, but no one seemed to notice that. If she stood straight, it all but disaperated, making her feel better. Her brown eyes scanned the common room, noticing that she was the only one not in bed. An unusual occurrence, she thought to herself, until she looked at the clock. Aiya! It was two o'clock in the morning! No wonder everyone else was asleep!

She looked around the room again. Nothing was appealing to her. She needed something to take her mind off the nightmare before she thought about it too much. Something that would entertain her, something like... a book. But where to get a book at this hour? She had long ago read all of the books she had and needed something new. The library was what first popped into her head, but it was long ago closed. She thought longer, but honestly could not think of anywhere else to get books from. She sighed again, knowing what she would have to do. Taking a page out of the Weasley Twins' book, she snuck out and down to the library.

The door was slightly ajar when she reached it. It surprised her, but she simply assumed that the librarian had forgotten to properly close it. If only she had known.

She walked in and towards her favourite shelf, one filled with old, dusty volumes that nobody read anymore. She was just stretching up to get one when she heard something. She paused and strained her ears. There it was again. A slight rustle. Like someone turning pages. She almost smacked herself in the head. Of course! Someone else had obviously had the same idea as her and picked out a good book to read. She breathed with relief and turned back to the books on the shelf in front of her. The book she wanted was next to an empty space, and she frowned when she saw it. She was the only one who read the books here. Why would someone else even touch them? A page was turned again and Hermoine decided to investigate.  
She crept to the other end of the shelf and peaked her head out. There was a boy there, with bleach blonde hair and cold, calculating eyes, reading an old, dusty book.

Hermoine gasped without thinking. What was that Malfoy brat doing here? His eyes flew up when he heard her.

She whirled back around so that she was out of sight, but she couldn't tell if he had seen her or not.

- - -

Draco Malfoy was not in a good mood. He had been woken up by an owl from his father, only to discover that it was a meaningless note, then to discover that he could not, for the life of him, fall back asleep. He had gone to the library to get some peace from the Slytherins that littered their common room, even at this hour. A good book was what he had wanted, so he had gone for the older volumes. A small noise had registered in the back of his mind and made him look up just in time to see a few locks of hair turn a corner. He furrowed his brows while thinking, his mind still mainly on the book.

Who would be up at this hour, in the library, and surprised to see him? He put the book down carefully and grasped his wand firmly in his hand. He crept forwards, then jumped aside so that he was facing the row between the books. Imagine his surprise to find none other than Granger there.

She jumped and her hand flew to her wand.

"What are you doing in here?" He sneered.

"Well, seeing as it's a library, I'm getting a book. What are you doing?" Granger spat back.

"Looking up poisons to kill Potty, though I didn't think that I'd meet any mudbloods." She turned red and her hair cackled with electricity. "Oh, don't get your knickers in a twist, Granger. I was just kidding."

Hermoine was surprised. Did he just... apologise? His eyes roamed over her as she looked over him. His hair was slightly tousled from his sleep, and he wasn't wearing a shirt. He had such pale skin, and a nice set of abbs. He probably had a personal trainer, what with all that money of his. The pants he was wearing were riding low on his hips and the blackness of them seemingly fell to the floor and crumpled. They were very baggy. She looked back up to his face, noticing his pouty lips and straight nose. He ran his tongue over his lower lip and her eyes met his.

He was leering at her.

She blinked a few times until she realised that her top was slipping suggestively low, as were her pants. She gasped and pulled up her top, fixing the tie on her pants once she had accomplished her fist task. He merely grinned and leaned against a book shelf.

"So what're you doing up this late, Granger?" He asked nonchalantly, a part of him wanting to know why. It didn't surprise him too much, though, he loved knowing everything.

"I-I had a nightmare." Hermoine said quietly, then cursed herself for telling him. She didn't want him to know, for he was sure to tease her endlessly, but at the same time she knew that she had to tell someone.

"What? The little witch had a bad dream?" He asked mockingly.

Hermoine decided to ignore his tone. "It was the oddest thing. I was screaming, but no one could hear me, and then I was in water. I was drowning, but nobody came to save me. There were footsteps, but it was only someone who came to watch me die." She shivered. "'Good riddance', was what they said."

There was some sort of recognition in Draco's eyes, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Sounds like a normal dream to me," he said blankly.

"But it wasn't!" Hermoine looked directly at him as she spoke. "It was so vivid. I could feel the water in my mouth, the struggle as my lungs fought to breathe, the absolute horror of the man's final words to me." She shivered again and realised that it was rather cold in the library. Draco noticed this but didn't say anything. If the mudblood wanted to catch a chill, let her.  
When he had looked her over earlier, he hadn't failed to notice the top slipping and revealing more of her body, though not enough to be indecent. He had noticed that she had pulled her hair away from her face and looked a good deal prettier for it. No, not prettier, just more presentable. He noticed that she was still shivering.

Looking around, he also noticed his cloak on the floor where he had discarded it earlier. He picked it up and draped it around her shoulders, noticing as he did that she looked very nice with a Slytherin badge.

She looked up at him and he shook himself. No, he would not think like that. She tilted her head to the side in question and he cocked a grin at her. He moved closer until he could feel her breath on his face.

"Draco..." She said breathlessly, then trailed off. It took them both a moment to realise that she had used his first name.  
He withdrew form her and smirked. Or at least, he tried to.

"Don't get all simpering with me now, Her-Granger." He corrected himself. Her eyes flew open in surprise.

"You just..."

"And so did you."

They stared at each other for a moment before Hermoine opened her mouth to say something. Draco knew what was coming, and abruptly, he turned and walked back to his chair, picked up his book, and continued reading. Hermoine took his cue and got her book from the shelf, found a comfortable chair, and snuggled into it, settling the book on her lap and flipping to the first page.

---

Draco woke up suddenly, realising that he had just fallen asleep. He looked around him and noticed that it was still dark out. He still had time to reach his rooms before morning. Stretching, he scratched his stomach and realized that he didn't have his cloak. He also then realised that he had given it to Hermoine. No, Granger, and he had leant it to her. Looking around the library, he quickly spotted her asleep in a chair, just as he had been moments before. But she was curled up, her knees drawn up and her back resting against the arm rest, her side leaning against the back of the chair. The book had fallen to the floor, and the black cloak was wrapping her in a warm cacoon. Draco was loath to take it from her, but he knew that he needed it.  
Kneeling in front of her chair, he poked her gently.

"Hermoine, I need my cloak back."

She opened her eyes half way, very sleepily, and smiled at him. He smiled back, not really knowing what else to do. She mumbled his name and leaned forwards to hug him, making him blink in surprise and forcing him to catch her. When he turned her in his arms, she was asleep again.

Picking her up, he decided that he would just have to drop her off at the Gryffindor house and let her friends take care of her. He put their books away and carried her down the corridor a bit before realising that he had no idea where the Gryffindors where.

Rolling his eyes at his own stupidity, he wandered off in the direction that most Gryffindors came form and left towards, Hermoine Granger sleeping peacefully in his arms.


	3. The Substitute

Alright! Another chappie! I hope you like it! Thank you to everyone who reviewed. I love comments and criticism on what I write.  
Isis3110: Why thank you. I like your work too.  
Hermoine-Granger17: I hope this chapter will explain what happened to Ron.  
Brilover: Hmm... I actually don't know what'll happen in the future. I just write 'em, lol. You would think that would mean I would know what will happen, but truly, it doesn't.  
King Harold: I don't know if the pairing will stick or not. Still working that out.  
  
- - -  
  
After a few minutes of wandering the halls blindly, hoping to stumble across the Gryffindor dormitories, Draco Malfoy realised the folly of his actions. None of the gryffindors would be caught dead out in the halls this late at night. In fact, he shouldn't be out here, especially holding Granger.  
  
He knocked on the door of Myrtle's bathroom, hoping she wasn't there. He was lucky, and as he deposited Granger in a stall and took his cloak from her, he felt some what bad for just leaving her there. Shaking himself, he left and returned to his own room.  
  
- - -  
  
Hermoine Granger was awoken with a shrill screech from Myrtle. She shot up and banged her head on the toilet paper holder. Looking around, she realized where she was, but could not remember how on earth she had gotten there. Sighing, she straightened her clothes and left the bathroom and Myrtle's impertinent questions as to how she had gotten there and what she thought she was doing.  
  
By the time that Hermoine reached the common room, people were starting to get up and get ready for class. She grabbed a shower before changing into her uniform and gathering her school supplies.  
  
"Oi! 'Moine!" Someone called as she crossed the common room. She turned to see Ron and Harry.  
  
"Hello boys." She replied.  
  
"Heading down to the Great Hall for breakfast?" Harry asked. Hermoine nodded and Ron grinned.  
  
"Great. We were just heading down there too." He said as they started on their way down.  
In the Great Hall, Hermoine nibbled on toast, wondering what had happened last night. She couldn't remember anything after her nightmare. She scanned the tables absentmindedly and was surprised to find Draco looking at her in a peculiar fashion. What was he about? She wondered.  
  
Suddenly, the scenes from the night before in the library flashed before her eyes and she turned beet red. Dra-Malfoy grinned and Hermoine quickly turned back to the toast on her plate. Harry and Ron were talking about Quidditch and Potions, so they paid no heed to Hermoine's quick turning or her sudden blush. By the time that they even looked at her, she had calmed down and was managing to not think of Draco and last night. Or, at least, that's what she kept telling herself.  
  
They all had potions first. Double potions, at that, and then DADA. After lunch, Hermoine had Muggle Studies while Ron and Harry had Divination with that fake fortune-teller.  
  
Making their way to the dungeons of Hogwarts with her friends, Hermoine reflected yet again on Malfoy's niceness to her. She remembered half-waking and what he had done. She also remembered him giving her his cloak, and he must have been the one who put her in the washroom rather than leave her in the library to be caught and given a detention. All in all, the night before, he had acted very un-Malfoy.  
  
They had reached the potions classroom and seated themselves at the back, as was their habit. Professor Snape whisked in and began immediately by tarting a note, without the use of the blackboard, forcing students to pay complete attention to get the full information. He seemed to be in a sour mood and caught two Gryffindors passing notes within the first ten minutes. He took ten points from them and made them read the note out loud. It had been a note to arrange a date... needless to say, the two students were mortified by the time they sat back down. After that, they had a very intense potion to make that involved quite a few steps and precise measurements. By the time that was done, most students were very stressed and Hermoine's hair had become even more frizzy than normal. Another note and an essay assignment later, they were done class and on their way to Defence Against the Dark Arts.  
  
This year it was being taught by a very muggle-like teacher name Professor Eros. She seemed to know what she was doing, even though she did suffer from blonde moments every now and again. She also seemed to harbour an extreme dislike for the Slytherins, which was most excellent in the books of the other students. Professor Eros was a rather short woman, with meticulous dirty blond hair and grey-ish blue eyes. She was of average size and one got the impression that she was a bouncy person. Entering the classroom, Hermoine, Harry, and Ron sat in the front, to the right. They were the first ones there, but other Gryffindors and Slytherins started pouring in soon enough, along with a few Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. They all shared classes now, since the whole year did not take the same things.  
  
Today, however, Professor Eros did not appear. Instead, another woman entered. She had shoulder-length brown hair that was held in two braids and hazel eyes. Freckles dotted her face, and she stood tall and proud. She was of average height, but rather slim and considerably well endowed for her slimness. The shirt she wore was a black tank top with spaghetti straps and tan trousers. The robe she wore was green, and left open. She looked very young, around seventeen, sixteen, and when she spoke, she had an odd accent.  
  
"Hello students. Your regular teacher, Miss Eros, could not be here today for health reasons. I shall be filing in for her. You may call me Miss Komadori." She smiled to reveal even white teeth.  
  
"Actually, we refer to our teachers as Professors, but I wouldn't expect and American to understand." Someone said from the back. The students whirled in their seats to find that it was Draco Malfoy who had spoken, surprise surprise. The teacher seemed to have a very odd reaction. She smiled evilly and approached the back of the class.  
  
"I am not American, I am Canadian. If you ever call me that again, or even insinuate it, you shall heartily wish that you had not. Might I also remind you, Mister Malfoy, that speaking out of turn is not permitted. Twenty points from Slytherin." She said and returned to the front of the class. "If you wish to call me Professor Komadori, I shall accept that. Now, the first thing we shall do it review boggarts." With a flick of her wand, the textbooks opened to the correct page. "Misters Potter and Weasley, please do not pass notes. Ten points each from Gryffindor. Misters Zambini, Crabbe and Goyle, stop snickering, I can hear you from here. Seven points each from Slytherin. Miss Abbot, please read from the second paragraph, page seventy-one."  
  
How did she do it? Hermoine wondered as she followed along in her textbook. She knew every student's name without looking at a seating plan or anything. She also caught people right as they began to do things.  
  
"Miss Granger, please continue where Miss Abbot has left off." Professor Komadori said and Hermoine read as requested. Halfway through a long word, the teacher stopped her.  
  
"That is enough. Some of my students are falling asleep from the boring trash they stick in this textbook." The teacher said. Half of the students gaped at her and her language. "I am under the impression that you have preciously faced a Bogart. Therefor, I am assuming that you all know the counter spell. If you do not, I suggest asking your resident bookworm, Miss Granger. You have five minutes to prepare before I shall release the Bogart."  
  
There was a mad rush as students made their way to Hermoine. Over the noise, the professor made it known to Draco that he was to come and speak with her. He did as was asked, though he walk slowly.  
  
"Mister Malfoy, you are not a camel. Perhaps you should stop walking like one." Professor Komadori said to him. A few people that overheard laughed and Draco walked slightly faster.  
"What?" He snarled when he reached her.  
  
"Try saying that again in a nicer tone, Mister Malfoy, and I might acknowledge it." She replied.  
"What?" He said again, this time a little less snarly.  
  
"I must warn you that if you continue this behaviour, I shall reward it with a detention. Also, I would have you go first to face the Bogart. Is that alright with you?" She asked.  
  
A flicker of something like fear flickered across Draco's face before it became a smirk once again. "Certainly."  
  
- - -  
  
A/N: Yes, my sad little attempt at a cliff hanger. Go me! Anyways, Read and Review, PLEASE review! I like to know what people think, even if it's different from what I think. I promise to update soon! First, though, I have to figure out what Draco's greatest fear is.. Hmm.... 


	4. The Folorn Maiden

Err... yes... this is... soon.... Heh, please don't hate me! I am a rather busy person, or else I would have written more, I swear! ANywho, her it is, at loing last. The next chapter!  
DISCLAIMER: I do not own HP or the character os blah blah blah Draco's an idiot blah blah blah.

* * *

Prof. Komadori nodded to Draco and left him to return to the front of the class. In a few moments, she clapped her hands to get the classes attention and they quited down respectivley. She had them line up down the centre of the class and then levitated all of the furniture to the sidses of the class with a swish of her wand. She was about to speak when the door burst open and the class turned to see who was there. 

It was prof. Eros, looking a bit pale, with a slight blush from the obvious extersion of rushing to the classroom.

"Oh, Mrs. Eros, I see you are feeling better." Komadori said.

"Yes, I am. I am also quite capable of teaching my class." She replied.

"Ahh, then you found the correct potion?" Komadori asked. "

I went with the muggle pain killers, like usual." Eros replied.

"Ahh, they really are quite intelligent, eh? I mean, to think, they don't have magic, and yet they have found so many ways to get around it. What wizard thought of the information datasbase like the internet?" Komadori replied. "Remember that messageboard you had? Ah, I miss the good old days of roleplaying and sleepovers. You know what, I think that we should-"

Eros cleared her throat. "Steph, you're only sixteen. Some of these guys are older than you."

"True, but nevertheless. I shall leave you with your class then. Are we still on for quidditch at nine?"

"Certainly." Komadori left and Draco made a mental note to go watch them play. So the sub was only sixteen, and yet she was teaching. She was also quite attractive and Draco made a mental note that she would probably be good in bed.

"Very well. I assume that Miss Komadori told you that we were reveiwing boggarts and facing one today. You all know the spell, and so I would ask Miss Abbot to face the boggart first."

The young Hufflepuff was shaking as she approached the front of the class. The teacher opened a box and suddenly a shadowy figure appeared. It seemed to take the form of something evil, red eyes glittering and glaring from the black fog and a great sense of evil emenating. Hannah yelled out the incantation and the eyes turned into swirly cartoon eyes as the mist turned hot pink and took the shape of a cake.

"Mister Weasley." Eros called out and Ron stepped forwards. Draco was thinking, and so missed this oppourtunity to mock the red-head. What was his greatest fear? In their third year, his arm had been 'broken' when they had faced the threat and so he had never truely found out.

So immersed in his thoughts was he that he did not hear his name being called until the professor called his name again.

"Mister Malfoy! Please pay attention. I would like you to go next." Draco looked up and walked forwards. As he appraoched the the boggart, his stomach twisted. He knew what it was.

The boggart became a mist, changing into a separate form. Taking shape, students peered eagerly at it, wanting to see what the cold-blooded Malfoy was afraid of. When it was only half-formed, he muttered the incantation and it turned back into the mist, waiting for the next student, but not before Hermoine gasped. She had recognized the form, knew what it had been waiting to turn into.

"Miss Granger." The teacher called and Hermoine went to the front of the class. The mist took shape, and suddenly, there was nothing. She looked panicked, and suddnely opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out. The class faded from her eyesight and she was in her nightmare, screaming for help with noone comming. Just as suddenly as it had began, it was over. She found herself on the floor, Profesor Eros looking over her with a worried expresison, the same expression of Ron and Harry. She propped herself up on her elbows and the teacher gave her some chocolate to regain her strength.

Sneaking a glance at Malfoy, she noticed that he was giving her that same odd look. Obviously, he had known that she was reliving her nightmare. He had known what she was thinking. That was not a comfortable thought. The bell rang just then and the students filed out. Hermoine reassured everyong that she was fine and made her way to her next class.

---  
****  
The nightmare didn't return for five days. That night, though, it was the same thing.

The blackness.

The despair.

It wasn't her fault! She was screaming it again and again, but noone was there to listen. She opened her mouth to say something and water poured in. She couldn't breath, she was drowning. Suddenly, she heard footsteps. Someone was coming. None of it made sense. Where was she? Where was the water coming from? Her brain tried to organise thoughts and think things through, but it wasn't happening. The water was over her head and the footsteps stopped. Somebody spoke.

"Good riddance."

---  
****  
She bolted out of bed and made it to the bathroom just before she threw up. What was going on?

Sitting beside the toilet, she was exhausted. The past few days, she had been up late, doing homework and knitting for S.P.E.W.. On top of her homwork, she had prefect duties and was running a studying group to help younger students. She rubbed her eyes tiredly and sighed, tryinh to calm herself. On nights like this, she loved to sneak into the library, but after her run in with Malfoy... 

She got up and rinsed out her mouth, deciding to take a book up to the astronomy tower. It was a beautiful autumn and she knew that there would be many stars. The book that she took was a muggle favourite of many, one called 'Gone With the Wind.' She had read it before, and started re-reading it during the summer, so now she was close to the end of it.

Padding barefoot, she made her way to the astronomy tower. 

---  
****  
Malfoy found her sitting on the wall, her legs dangling down towards the ground, so far away.

Wind was caressing her, weaving gently through her curly hair, tugging softly at her clothing. Tears traced a salty path down her face, gathering at her chin before falling, one by one, onto the open book she held in her hands. She closed the book with a contented sigh and raised her face to the wind, taking a deep breath as more tears fell. The pale moonlight masked any inperfections her skin might have held, a shinning wet path down her cheeks looking like two brushstrokes on a blank canvas.

But her eyes.

Her eyes were raw and peircing, though far-way. Emotions on the surface, Draco could read despair, destraught, but also some form of content and wonder. There was a hint of pity, but with another sigh, her eyes looked even farther away and no emotions could be read. She was off into the world of the book she just read, imagining the characters, what happened afterwards, what could have happened, if...

Draco Malfoy stood and watched her as the wind held her in its embrace, drying her tears and hugging her body. The book was placed beside her, and the wind rustled the pages, almost bekoning her to read it again. A strong gust of wind lifted her hair right off of her neck and she leaned into it, almsot as if she would like to lean off of the wall and join with it, fly in the air. She closed her eyes and settled back, taking another deep breath and simply thinking.

It took Draco a while to realise that she had fallen asleep.

When he did realise, it was when she was leaning dangerously close to the edge. He quickly walked over and took her into his arms, telling himself that Dumbledor would kill him if Granger fell off and broke her neck. Once he had her in his arms, she began to struggle.

"Help me..." She muttered, and her brows furrowed. She began breathing heavily, as if she couldn't breath at all, and started to struggle even more. He put her feet on the ground, but held onto her shoulders to keep her upright, just about to shake her to wake her up. She screamed and opened her eyes, looking at Draco. The sound died in her throat, but her eyes were wild and she did not recognise him.

"Hermoine...?" Draco said tentatively. A light came on somewhere in the back of her mind and recognition of a sort came into her eyes. She opened her mouth and half of a sob boke loose before she latched onto Draco and started sobbing into his shoulder. She had a fistful of his robe in each of her hands and she was shaking tremendously with horror turned to tears. Draco's instinct took over and her hugged her, speaking not, for her did not know any words that would confort her.

And so they stood in the moonlight, a live sculpture of the folorn maiden and her savoir, the dark angel. ****

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A/N: Well, what do you think? Please read and review! If there's a lot of spelling and grammer mistakes, let me know and I'll see what I can do. I need a beta tester, lol. 


	5. Torrential Downpour

'What am I doing?' Draco thought wildly to himself. The sky opened up and a light sheet of cooling rain began to fall. Very soon, however, the light rain turned into a downpour, and he was soaked. Through the torrents of rain that fell steadily, he looked at Hermoine's bowed head against his chest. Water was dripping off of his hair, into his face, and then trailing down to his nose and chin where it fell to her hair.

Suddenly, she looked up at him."My book!" She wrenched herself from his gasp and ran to the side, intent on getting her book back and saving it from the rain. The stone, that used to be so stable, was now treacherous and slippery, so a small shriek escaped from her lips as she lost her footing and fell, slidding towards a break in the wall around the edge.Draco ran after her, managing to catch up and pull her to the side and to safety. He twisted her around so that he was pinning her to the ground and stopping her form slidding anywhere more.  
At that moment in time, someone walked out of the dor and screamed something unintelligable before launching themselves at Draco and knocking him off Hermoine. The only thing Draco saw before blacking out was a shock of red hair.

* * *

A/N: Yah, yah, I know, I know. Short chappie, but I promised Nami-sama a new chapter and I have to go to work! Here it is, Jen, and I hope you like it. 


	6. Self Denial

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter blah blah blah Draco's an idiot blah blah blah

Ocean Tranquility: Thanks! I wrote it for you!

* * *

When he woke up, he was in the hospital wing, a tender spot on his head, but in dry clothes. His curious eyes looked around the room, trying to figure out how he had gotten there. It was probably that weasle boy who had hit him, knocking him unconcious when he had only been trying to save Hermoine. Weasley had probably thought that he was 'taking advantage' of Granger. Draco snorted, the thought in and of itself seemed ridiculous.

Turning his head, he heard a sound and the door opened. Hermoine and her two friends entered the room, the boys looking as if they didn't want to be there.

"Malfoy." Ron said, then stopped. Hermoine nudged him and he grunted. "Sorry"

Draco simply raised a meticulously groomed eyebrow. Hermoine nudged Ron again.

"About knocking you unconcious." Ron said, clenching his fists and obviously wishing that he could do it again.

"Apology accepted." Draco replied, not able to think of anything sarcastic through the pounding in his skull.

"And thank you." Hermoine said, turning a delicate red. "For saving me from falling and... yeah"

Draco sneered. "Wouldn't want Dumbledore to blame me for your death, that was all." Ron leaped at Draco and started to pummel the invalid, furious at Malfoy's comment.

-

Stunned, Hermoine desperatly grabbed at Ron, trying to get the red head to stop. Catching a hold of his sweater, she yanked him off the hospital bed, yelling at him.

"Why are you hitting him, Ron?! He's an invalid"

"Why are you defending him!" Ron yelled back.

"You don't have to pummel him again"

"I'll do whatever I want!" Ron took a step towards Hermoine, but stopped, turned, and walked briskly away from the room. Harry gave Hermoine a 'he-doesn't-deserve-this' look and followed him out of the room.

Looking back at Draco, hermoine gasped. His black eye was bleeding above the right eye, his lip was split, mirroring his swollen nose. There was a red mark around his neck and he was breathing hard. Grabbing a cool cloth, Hermoine dabbed gently at the trail of copper red.

Draco looked at the ceiling, grey eyes busy thinking. When finished, Hermoine put the cloth away and sat with her hands folded in her lap. They didn't speak for a while.

Hermoine chose the same time to speak as Draco did.

"Sorry about Ron-"

"Aren't you missing-"

They lapsed into silence again. Madame Pomfrey walked in several moments later, a bundle of clean linen in her arms, surprised tosee Hermoine.

"Miss Granger! What a pleasant surprise! You're the first one to come visit mister Malfoy. I was beginning to think that he was without friends." She said in a teasing tone. Hermoine blushed, as did Draco.

"Oh, we're not friends, I just... It was just that... I... uh..." Hermoine stumbled around for something to say.

"She just came to visit for a minute. She's on her way back to potions." Draco suplied. Hermoine nodded, glad for the excuse. She gathered her things, said goodbye and practically ran from the room.

Hermoine was mollified. To be caught by Madame Pomfrey! Comforting Draco Malfoy! She shurddered and realized that she WAS late for potions, with Snape. He would not be happy. He would also no beleive her that she was with Draco, and that's why she was late. Oh, she hated it, but there was no other way. She ran up to her room and opened her trunk, searching through things until she got to the very bottom of it and found a small, locked box. Inside the metal were her prized possesions. Carefully, she removed the key from around her neck and unlocked the tiny box. She smiled sadly when she opened it, her eyes misty with nostalgia. Sifting through the scant items, she remembered different bits of her history. A flower from her first Yule ball, a ring from her grandmother. There was a book, and a small acessory. It was the last that she took out and looked at. Quickly glancing at the clock, she thought aloud. "One turn should do it." She turned the small contraption once before getting up and getting her potions materials together. She slipped out of the common room and down to the potions class, grateful for the time turner.

Halfway through the class, Ron walked in, very angry, with Harry right behind him, trying to calm him down even as they got in trouble. They sat in their seats, not noticing Hermoine at the opposite end of the room, just as she had planned.

After class, Hermoine slipped into the girls' dormitory without being noticed. She opened the trunk again and this time took out the small book, said a quick charm and unlocked the diary.

Before adding a new entry, she re-read the old one.

_Dear Diary,  
I'm still having a hard time beleiving it. To think that Draco Malfoy was nice to me last night! I mean, he saved my life! I'm worried, though. He's been unconcious for more than a day, now. I wish that Ron hadn't hit him like that. I mean, to knock him off of me was one thing, but to pummel him afterwards? What is Ron's problem? I mean, sure, nobody likes Malfoy, and he WAS on top of me, but I wasn't in any danger. I even told Ron as he was pummeling the snot out of an unconsious Malfoy. What is wrong with me? A week ago I would have been ecstatic to see Ron pummel Malfoy, and now I think it's just wrong. Maybe it was sooner than a week ago. I just don't know. I don't HATE him, I don't think I really hate anyone anymore. All Draco ever did was be mean, right? So was that his cry for help? I wonder. People say that bullies are just misunderstood. Is that Draco? Sometimes it seems like he LIKES to inflict pain on others, but then other times it seems like it just pops out of his mouth before he really has a chance to think about it. Oh, maybe I'm thinking too much. Silly of me, really. I shouls be thinking about Potions and my DADA essay, but my mind keeps wandering back to him. Did he have a happy childhood? 'Money doesn't buy happiness.' Well, I guess it doesn't, but it sure makes misery easier to live with. What was his father like? Did he have any childhood friends? Maybe he's a vampire! Well, that's unlikely, as he does play quidditch, during the day. He's very good at seeking, I am forced to admit. His lean body is very aerodynamic, his hands long and elegant, his chest... oh, this is wrong. This is MALFOY! Get a hold of yourself Hermoine! He's an evil death-eater Slytherin! NOT some boy to crush on! Oh no... I'm NOT crushing on DRACO MALFOY! NO WAY! I refuse to. Hermoine Granger does not have crushes. Especially on slytherins that have taunted and mocked her since first year.  
_

_Crap, someone's comming. I'll write some more later.  
_

_'Til I write again,  
_

_Hermoine_

Dipping her quill into the ink, she began to write another entry.

_Dear diary,  
_

_I really am stupid. I don't like Draco, I just feel bad because Ron knocked him unconcious. Anyways, I have this big potions essay to keep working on. I'll write in you tomorrow,  
_

_Love,  
_

_Hermoine_

She felt a little uneasy, as if she was lieing to herself, but she quickly pushed that thought away and locked up the chest, pulled out her parchment and began her good copy of the potions essay.

* * *

A/N: So, I try to delve into 'Moine's thoughts. R&R, tell me what you think! I will personally answer all reviews in the next chapter. 


	7. The Dragon's Penseive

The Masked Marauder : Ah yes, my ancient enemy strikes again... spelling! I shall try to catch the mistakes. ((mutters)) I need a beta tester.  
Ocean Tranquility: That's okay. 

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter blah blah blah Draco's an idiot blah blah blah. The only thing to be gained from suing me is minus thirty dollars.

Coming up: The author tries to get into Draco's mind... hmm.  
-

Draco was lying in bed, wishing that he was allowed to get up and walk around, but Madame Pomfrey had been explicit in the fact that he must lay abed. So his platinum blond hair rested against the bleached pillowcase as his stormy grey eyes watched the ceiling through an unfocused gaze.

The only sound in the white room was the breathing of the one invalid, covered by the single movement of white sheets, rising and falling slowly. Far away, a bird called out to another, but they remained unanswered and soft rustling of leaves told listening ears that even the one bird had abandoned his perch for somewhere more populated.

Draco had never felt so alone in his life.

The sun shone through the only open window, not a cloud in the sky. His grey eyes shifted to the closed infirmary door, willing someone to come and visit him. He gave up after a few minutes.

His focus shifted inwards, wondering why, as he usually did. His whole life was planned for him, become a death eater after graduation, marry some rich pureblood he had never met, create heirs and do the Dark Lord's bidding. A life of servitude, serving his father and Lord Voldemort. Draco Malfoy was not one to disobey those who held power over him, and he accepted his fate without thinking. He could even imagine himself doing as was requested. In his mind's eye, he saw himself marrying some blurry faced woman and then spending half of his life behind a mask.

Pretty boring.

The only thing he did control was his day to day life at Hogwarts. So long as he got first in class and maintained his reputation as a Malfoy, his father was content. Voldemort was content knowing he had a trusty servant on the way.  
Draco raised his right hand and gently rubbed behind his right ear, knowing that the glamour charm was still in effect.  
When he had first met the Dark Lord, he had been cocky. He had learned, that first time, never to be smart with the Dark Lord, or you will regret it, forever. Draco had lost his dignity that night, before Voldemort, and gained respect in the form of a cut behind his ear that stayed open and was prone to infections.

His eye was hurting, though the black bruise was healing nicely.

The sun, so deceitful in it's summer-like warmth, was suddenly hidden in a cloud that Draco had failed to notice earlier. At the edge of the window, he could notice a large company of clouds advancing, heavy with rain. Finally, some weather to contemplate his mood. He was brooding again, telling himself how much life was predicable, and that there really wasn't a point.

He heard the door open and wrenched his neck by turning to quickly.

Rubbing his neck, he wasn't surprised to see Pansy Parkinson.

"Draco!" She called and read over to his side, her face screwed up as if she were worried about him.

'She's practiced that one in a mirror' Draco found himself thinking. "Hullo." He replied.

"I was SO worried! What would I have done if something had happened to you."

Draco snorted, but quickly covered it with a cough. Pansy was only worried about her money. Draco, being something along the lines of a second cousin three times removed, or a third cousin two times removed, supplied Pansy with her 'allowance.' Of course, Draco didn't give it to her for nothing. In fact, he paid her, more or less, for 'services rendered.'

"Thanks for your concern, but I'm fine now. What are you up to tonight?" Draco asked.

Pansy smiled forcefully. "Nothing, darling," she replied through her teeth. She knew what he wanted.

"Excellent. I should be back to normal by then. I shall see you around nine o'clock"

Pansy nodded and quickly left the room, Draco smiling at her retreating form. Cold grey eyes turned back to the ceiling, contemplating Pansy's stupidity. She could easily ask her parents for money instead of relying on Draco, but the thought had never crossed her mind. Draco found it easy to control stupid people. Smart people, however, was an entirely different manner.

His thoughts turned to Hermoine.

-  
A/N: So, yes, another long awaited deadline. I'm not updating until I get at least three reviews. As soon as I get that third review, I will post another chapter.


	8. Daytime Twilight

Ahh! Caught by my own trap! Ah well, no more exams, so I have time now. Here we go. ((cracks knuckles))

Disclaimer: I do not own harry Potter blah blah blah Draco's an idiot blah blah blah

-

The next morning was indistinguishable from the night. The sun rose, denying the sunset leaves of light through thick black clouds, pregnant with impending rain. Amber eyes, itched with sleep, opened slightly, only to face confusion before they closed again. Her body rolled over in the satin sheets, a mumble about dark escaping her slightly parted lips.

With a flash of lightning, she blinked her eyes open, and thunder made her leap from the bed and grab her towel. She raced down to the common room while struggling to get her school robe on over her pyjamas, trying to hide her sleeping in from her classmates. She had had it planned perfectly, the sun would shine directly into her face every morning, effectively waking her up. Even a small amount of light woke her, so cloudy days were not a hassle for her. Today, however, the sky darker than night, she had not awoken until the sounds from late students, their thundering steps echoing the outside weather, had reverberated in the common room. The towel she quickly discarded in Myrtle's bathroom, fully intent on retrieving it later. Her sock feet padded to the Great Hall, allowing her to find her seat discreetly. She ate little, her stomach still felt full from the feast the night before. It was then off to classes she went, trying to stifle yawns and stay alert and attentive to what people around her were saying.

At lunch time, she found herself in the library, for the first time since her meeting with Malfoy. She hid in the front, with the rest of the students as oppose to the back, with the dusty tomes she regarded as old friends. She was flipping through first year books, trying to find one she could read, when she realized that she still didn't have her book back from the astronomy tower. The pelting rain attacked the windows, and Hermoine knew that the book was ruined, but she might be able to save it with a charm. She grabbed her towel on the way to the tower, deciding to multitask.

At the door to the terrace, she removed her socks and robe, striping down to her shorts and nightie, both a pale pink that mimicked her rosy lips. The colour softened her face, erasing lines of worry and diminishing bags under her eyes. She stepped carefully, remembering the event two nights before, when she had originally forgotten the book. The towel was folded in a pile with her robe, and she was intent on using it when she passed over the threshold once more.

Sure enough, the book was sitting on the ledge, water-soaked pages filled to the brim and expelling further attacks, the rain battering against it hopelessly. Hermoine inched closer, willfully allowing the forces of nature to soak her hair, to cleanse her. Her hand outstretched, she leaned forwards slightly to grab the book, but lost her footing in the near-black atmosphere of the astronomy tower.

A scream escaped her, unnoticed in the roar of thunder and lightening, dancing nervously through black clouds. The cold rain, turning hateful, rushed her towards that same opening that had almost closed it's jaws around her previously. Her slick pyjamas slid lightly across the stones, her hands grasping desperately at nothing, trying to find purchase on the smooth ground.

Suddenly, she was floating, her body lifted off of the stones, her eyes shut tight against her approaching death. The realisation that she was not falling took mere moments to sink in, but when she opened her eyes, he was already wearing a smirk.

"Have a death wish, Granger?" His platinum hair was slowly being pushed against his skull, shaping to the contour of his head, becoming translucent and leading Hermoine to the thought that this is what he would look like if bald. "What, don't recognise a 'wingardium leviosa' charm?" He continued, his smirk growing wider.

"I see you're doing better," Hermoine replied from her spot in the sky. The rain was cold on her back, making her shiver slightly in the daytime twilight.

"No thanks to that weasel. I had to miss my afternoon classes because Pomfrey noticed something was up." Draco looked absolutely livid about that.

"But I thought you hated class?" Hermoine's amber eyes widened in the darkness, realizing that she had thought aloud. She could have hexed herself for her stupidity, but merely bit her lower lip in frustration, the sharp pain allowing her mind to focus on a fact rather than an emotion.

"I don't think that is any of your concern." Something like fear flickered across his face before she found herself turned and placed carefully on the ground. She looked up into his eyes, the grey depths flickering across her body before he turned his own, his right had shielding his eyes.

"What?" She asked moodily, expecting some sort of insult in the pouring rain.

"Your clothing is... translucent when wet," he offered. She had felt the cling of wet material, but as she looked down at herself, she realised that opaque pastel turned a blushing transparent colour, one that made her cheeks burn as she raced off of the terrace and into the room, wrapping the towel around herself, securing her innocence from prying eyes. She had her robe in one hand and wand in the other, attempting to think up a drying charm, a thought that eluded her, when her hair dried itself. She turned to the door, losing her towel, but not noticing in her anger. How dare he baby her! She was perfectly capable of drying her own hair.

A flash of lightning allowed Draco to glimpse her wet form, and quickly he memorized the sight. Long legs, perfectly shaped with water droplets running down smoothly, a small waist that her rose shirt clung to, perfect, supple breasts, a thin and proud neck, and anger, like a glint on steel, reflecting from her eyes.

Draco Malfoy took an involuntary step back and slipped on the stones, a pathetic re-enactment of Hermoine's mishap.

It took Hermoine a moment to realize that he was actually falling, rushing with the water, unable to save himself.  
-  
A/n: yes, another attempt at a cliff hanger. No more updates (in this story) until I get atleast three reviews, from three different people! Ha. ((feeling smart)) 


	9. Teenage Hormones

Sooo... it's been a... while... I was just attacked in a review and told that I had to update. Here goes!

**Disclaimer: I do not own harry Potter blah blah blah Draco's an idiot blah blah blah**

-

_A flash of lightning allowed Draco to glimpse her wet form, and quickly he memorized the sight. Long legs, perfectly shaped with water droplets running down smoothly, a small waist that her rose shirt clung to, perfect, supple breasts, a thin and proud neck, and anger, like a glint on steel, reflecting from her eyes. Draco Malfoy took an involuntary step back and slipped on the stones, a pathetic re-enactment of Hermoine's mishap. It took Hermoine a moment to realize that he was actually falling, rushing with the water, unable to save himself._

Hermoine, in blind stupidity, almost ran after him when she tripped on her towel. She shouted out a full body bind as he started to twist and turn in the impromptu river. His sleek body collided with the side of the opening, head at one end, and legs at the other. A purplish mark appeared quickly on the side of his pale face. She took a tentative step, her bare feet almost blue in the cold rain, her hand wrapped around the frame of the heavy wooden door.

She whispered softly, her sleek wand held close to her wet body. She summoned him, like a sorcerer calling to a familiar, and he came.

His stiff body plowed into hers, knocking her down from stable feet, off unstable ground, and over the threshold. They fell together, her body soft and pliant, his hard and demanding. When they stopped, their lips were touching.

A colour rose in her cheeks and she wondered why he wasn't moving away from her. But Malfoy's lips were wonderfully warm in the cool tower room, the dark sky. The warmth was spreading through her, making her cheeks flush a delicate pink turned bright red, like a sunset.

Draco was so still, but the thoughts ran wildly through his head.

They were kissing, and neither one of them was moving. Her lips were cold against his hot ones, but the cold only serviced the fire that seemed to entrench his body. He couldn't move, and his troubled, preoccupied mind chopped it up to the hex she had placed on him to save him. But his traitorous hand moved to brace his heavy body on the floor, and his traitorous lips moved slightly against hers.

Her lips might had twitched in surprise, but his mind was gone, lost in the pleasure of her body against his. The wet and warmth, warmth that his own body had lent her, that she gave back, and he received gratefully. Her clothes were drying between the two bodies, but none noticed. Her dry hair was tangling in the few gusts of wind that threatened them past the doorway, and her fingers reached up, only to tangle in his hair.

He moved his lips more, and in instinct alone, she responded. She needed his heat, his passion, him. They both moved their bodies to find a more comfortable spot and stopped all movement, as awareness of what was happening dawned on both of them.

Truth, inevitably harsh, was the driving force that brought them to their feet, hands busy fixing clothes and running through hair. She turned to him, but he couldn't stand it. The innocent look in her eyes, battling with her own desire shook him to his roots.

Instinct, again, took over. He desired to poses her, and so he took her.

He bridged the gap between them and crushed his mouth against her, forcing her mouth open and his tongue in it. They stood there, both dizzy with lust until she pulled back, frightened.

He cursed himself and turned, his brisk steps taking him away from that lost being at the top of the tower.


	10. Flittering By

Author's notes: Alright, Christmas Present! A new chapter! Not very long, but I've lost my muse again. Standard rule, three reviews from three different people will get another chapter updated. Hope y'all like it.

* * *

Hermione was confused. What the hell happened up here? She grabbed her towel and slowly walked down from the tower, her mind swimming with thoughts and no pattern. She could not think clearly, about potions or the weather, or anything. Her mind jumped from topic to topic, never resting long enough to do anything other then sigh when she thought of Draco Malfoy again. Her first kiss, from a Slytherin. She was going insane!

The dark sky had cleared a little, a few rays of sun catching and holding her attention for a few moments. A small butterfly flittered past the window, then moved on to a small flower that grew out of the mortar of the castle walls. The small insect then flew to a drop of water before going off, being pushed about by the wind. That small butterfly reminded Hermione of herself right then, going from subject to subject in her mind, letting fancy push her around.

She found that she had stopped in the middle of the hall, a very un-Hermione-ish thing to do.

With new determination, she pushed her hair back from her face where it had fallen on the tower, and walked with purpose down the hall towards the Gryffindor girl's dormitories. Once there, she changed into her school clothing, complete with a pleated skirt and matching tie. A small battle with her hair forced it into a low ponytail and less of a bother.

Hermione grabbed her transfiguration book and left for class, her thoughts more orderly and appearing like her old self. She took her seat in the middle, as usual, with Ron and Harry. Ron and Harry liked the back, though Hermione liked the front. After many years of scuffles and rows about it, they had finally decided to sit in the middle.

Her brown eyes closed briefly as the boys busied themselves, trying to finish their homework before McGonagall appeared for class. Hermione merely smiled and said no when they asked to see her homework. She had long given up the lectures of the virtues of them doing their own work.

Her eyes flew to the door as a flash of blond came in. Finding herself disappointed when it was a Ravenclaw student and not Draco, she turned herself back to her homework and re-read the last paragraph of her essay, checking spelling and grammar for the thirtieth time.

Harry was the first one to point out that Draco was missing from class when the teacher walked in.

"He's prolly off with Pansy, snogging her to death," Ron snorted.

Hermione turned a delicate shade of pink.

"Yeah, or something else," Harry intoned. "Something a bit more… nasty."

"Anything with Pansy would be nasty."

Ron and Harry both turned red with silent laughter as Hermione also turned red. It was caused by something completely different, however, and she quickly turned on the boys.

"What Draco Malfoy does or doesn't do is none of our business. Maybe if you two stopped worrying about him and concentrated on your own work, you would have it done for once." She snapped, then briskly walked to the front to hand in her essay after McGonagall asked for them.

She returned to her seat in silence and fumed the rest of the class. She missed the looks that Harry and Ron shared, shrugged off their attempts to reconcile and left as soon as she was dismissed.

Harry and Ron trailed after her, trying to speak with her.

"Come on Hermione, he's just a Slytherin." Ron pleaded.

She refused to answer.

"Yeah, and he's _Malfoy_." Harry pointed this out as if it was the only reason they needed.

Hermione, tired of hearing their bashing of another Hogwarts student, and one that she had found relatively pleasant, turned on them again, furious at them.

"What happened to your school spirit, Ron? All houses are still a part of Hogwarts! And Harry! Have you ever even had a civil conversation with him? 'Visit not the sins of the father upon the son.' It's not his fault his father raised him like that. Both of you are selfish, stereotyping arses who can't see past the cover of a book!" She almost screamed the last part before storming off towards the great hall.

"What was she talking about? Books?" Ron asked, confused.

"Not quite." Harry replied. "She was saying that we shouldn't assume that he's just an ass, we should… get to know him. I think."

"What! But he's a slimy git! And a Slytherin! And an-"

"I know, but Hermione did say so, and she usually is right."

"…yeah. Ugh. I guess we should then."

* * *

NEXT CHAPTER: The boys try to look past the 'crusty shell' of a certain Slytherin and find the pearl underneath that Hermione is convinced is there. 


End file.
